SPAIN is blaming Russian-based groups for attempting to manipulate social media by promoting Catalonia’s independence as a way of trying to destabilise Madrid.

Spain's defence and foreign ministers said they had evidence that state and private-sector Russian groups, as well as groups in Venezuela, used Twitter, Facebook and other websites to publicise the separatist cause and swing public opinion behind Catalonia in the run-up to the controversial October 1 referendum.

The referendum has plunged Spain into its worst constitutional crisis in decades and now officials are accusing Moscow of meddling before the vote.

Spanish Defence Minister Maria Dolores de Cospedal said: "What we know today is that much of this came from Russian territory.

"These are groups that, public and private, are trying to influence the situation and create instability in Europe," she told reporters at a meeting of European Union foreign and defence ministers in Brussels today.

EPA/Reuters

Madrid has accused Russia of interfering in Catalonia

Yesterday, she said: "Many messages and operations that were seen via social networks come from Russian territory.

"And I use the correct expression: from Russian territory. That's not to say necessarily that we have determined that it is the Russian government.

"As such, we must act with extreme caution. We have to be clear on the origins.

"They are partly from Russian territory, partly from elsewhere, also outside the EU. We are determining this at the current time."

Latest Catalonia strike brings region to a standstill

Wed, November 8, 2017

A new strike has been called in Catalonia by minority inter union CSC, to protest against the imprisonment of Catalan pro-independence leaders. Protesters were blocking various roads in the city and a train track which has forced the interruption of a train line

Asked if Madrid was certain of the accusations, Spanish Foreign Minister Alfonso Dastis, also at the meeting, said: "Yes, we have proof."

Mr Dastis said Spain had detected false accounts on social media, half of which were traced back to Russia and another 30 percent to Venezuela, created to amplify the benefits of the separatist cause by re-publishing messages and posts.

He said he had raised the issue with the Kremlin.

Madrid has also pointed the finger at Julian Assange and has accused the WikeLeaks founder of trying to destabilise Spain.

Mr Dastis said there were signs Mr Assange and others "are trying to interfere and manipulate" amid the Catalonia crisis.

Reuters

An estimated 750,000 Catalans demonstrated in Barcelona on Saturday

Madrid has not yet made any evidence available to back up their accusations.

The claims have been strongly refuted by Catalonia’s independence leaders.

Ramon Tremosa, the EU lawmaker for the PDeCat party of Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont, repeated on Monday that Russian interference had played no part in the referendum.

Mr Tremosa said in a Twitter message: ”Those that say Russia is helping Catalonia are those that have helped the Russian fleet in recent years, despite the EU's boycott,” referring to Spanish media reports that Spain was allowing Russian warships to refuel at its ports.

Those who voted in the referendum opted overwhelmingly for independence, but turnout was only about 43 per cent with Catalans who favour remaining part of Spain mainly boycotting the ballot while some pro-independence supporters were to afraid to vote due to the brutal actions of the Guardia Civil and national police in their attempts to prevent the vote from taking place.

The separatist vote has plunged Spain, the eurozone's fourth-biggest economy, into its worst constitutional crisis since its return to democracy in the 1970s.

Moscow has repeatedly denied any such interference in the vote and has accused the West of spearheading a campaign to discredit Russia.

NATO believes Moscow is involved in a deliberately ambiguous strategy of information warfare and disinformation to try to divide the West and break its unity over economic sanctions imposed on Russia following its 2014 annexation of Crimea.

US intelligence agencies concluded in January that Russia interfered in the US election to try to help Donald Trump defeat rival Hillary Clinton by hacking and releasing emails and spreading propaganda via social media.

Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who attended the EU meeting in Brussels, declined to comment on Spain's accusations, but the alliance's top commander said last week that Russian interference was a concern.

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander General Curtis Scaparotti said "Russian malign influence" was trying to sway elections and other decisions in the West, describing it as a "destabilisation campaign," although he did not directly address the Catalonia referendum.